I’m going to start this review by saying I am not normally a hydration vest user. I have used other vests when they first came around but had such a bad experience with them, in terms of chaffing and cleaning, I stopped wearing them and never found a replacement.

Then, I bought a hydration belt, but even that wasn’t quite what I needed. It didn’t hold nearly enough water and it always bounces on my butt no mater how I place it or adjust it.

When BibRave put the CTA out about the Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest, I saw the words “minimalist” and “vest” in the same sentence and was intrigued.

When it comes to hydration needs on the run (usually for anything over an hour and also depending on the temperature outside), I look for a few things:
-Amount of water I can carry
-Minimal to no “bounce” or moving around on my back or body (i.e. I don’t want it rubbing any exposed skin)
-Minimal fabric/bulk of the product itself
-Pockets for things like my phone, keys or ID and cash (because if I’m wearing a vest, I don’t want to wear anything else in terms of belts or put things in my pockets)
-Easy to take care of and clean

To keep it simple, the PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest met all my needs and more!

Pros/Features/What makes it different from other vests:-Very minimalist feel: it’s lightweight, made from breathable material, and there isn’t much bulk to it. The only weight you feel is however much water you bring! It’s also made with very minimal material which is great when it’s hot outside and you don’t want that much fabric covering your front and back.

–Adjustable to fit perfectly: it comes in two sizes and the buckles/straps across the front are adjustable. Plus, the straps on the sides can cinch down.

–Minimal to no bounce: even with the water bottles full! They call it the “Lateral Stabilization Process.” There are three straps across the front in various places so the vest doesn’t move around or bounce on the run. With hydration belts, I hate the bounce on my butt while I run, so this is perfect!

–Ready to bring ALL the water: it comes with two-12oz bottles and is bladder ready (i.e. there’s a pouch and a hole for a tube-pass through. It would fit a 2L water bladder).

–Pockets galore: There are FOUR pockets with room to spare. The two on the front are great for snacks, gels and your phone and two on the back are great for keys, cards, and things you don’t need to access regularly while running. It seems every time I look at it I find another pocket! I can carry my phone, keys, snacks, gels, chapstick, credit card/cash/ID, kleenex and probably more.

-Bungee Cord On Back: Perfect for holding your extra layer, rain jacket or shell because when you’re on those long runs, you never know what you’ll need!

–Jett-Squeeze Caps: this means it’s easy to drink water or other fluids while running; you just pop the top and squeeze to drink. I noticed that you can leave the caps “open” or popped when they’re in the pockets and because of the squeeze caps, water doesn’t leak out.

-Easy to clean: the bottles are super easy to clean and because of the minimalist fabric and the mesh material it’s made out of, the vest itself is easy to air dry and clean when necessary. Other vests I’ve had experience with don’t breathe and end up molding if you don’t clean them soon enough, so this is a HUGE bonus for me. When it does need a wash, you can throw it in the machine on the gentle or hand wash cycle and air dry!

Things To Look Out For:
-I did notice that I can’t wear mine with a tank top. Maybe it is just me and my size, but I did once and had some pretty decent rubbing and chaffing on my neck and shoulders. I don’t notice ANY rubbing when I wear regular t-shirts or long sleeves.

Overall/Personal Experience:
To steal the words from another BibRave Pro, “I will never need another hydration vest.” Seriously. This vest has met all of my needs and then some. I now choose this vest over my other hydration products (belts, handhelds, etc). It’s even giving me motivation to make my long runs even longer so I can feel justified taking the vest on the run. It will also be pretty useful on hikes that I may not want to carry a huge backpack on.

If you’re in the market for a vest or considering adding a hydration vest to your gear closet, THIS is a great option!

About the Author, Whitney

Calling Golden, CO home, her working hours are split between 3+ jobs: managing her own business, Golden Mountain Guides, that she runs with her boyfriend, marketing/race production for 3W Races, coaching high school cross country and track & field (Go Rams!), and being a freelance writer when she can!

Her non-working hours are split literarily between running and travelling, aka, Racing & Wandering. She’s usually found hiking, running, climbing (really anything outside) and often you can find her snuggled under a pile of blankets reading a good book. For more, click HERE.
Contact: RacingTheStates@gmail.com

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Owner – Golden Mountain Guides

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